Join Folly and Molly on this rhyming adventure as they take on this epic journey—a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail.
Format: Hardcover & Ebook
Length: 40 pages
Recommended ages: 3-7
Hi there! I’m Michelle the author and illustrator of “Folly and Molly Take on the Appalachian Trail” which was inspired by my love of (or really, obsession with) the Appalachian Trail.
It all started when I first heard about thru-hiking. If you’re not part of the hiking community, a thru-hike is a backpacking trip that goes from one end of a long trail to the other within a set timeframe. The Appalachian Trail (AT) is over 2,000 miles and typically takes backpackers 5 to 7 months.
Well, once I began researching, I simply could not get enough. Like so many others who have been called to the AT I devoured books, YouTube videos, podcasts, and blogs all about the history and the hikers who make it up.
The inspiration for this book was my nephew, Richard. Shortly after he was born(and by shortly I mean just a few days) I went on a backpacking trip to Shenandoah National Park, which the AT goes through. At that point, I already had seen the need in the market for children’s books dedicated to the AT...due to my previously mentioned extensive research.
I remember sitting at camp one night and feeling a fire in my heart, a burning desire to share the trail I love so deeply with him and the next generation. As the trip continued, I rhythmically trekked and parts of the story flowed. I would repeat the rhymes in my head until I could write them down.
The rest of the writing process was not as romantic as that but most of my book did come to me while walking, hiking, or backpacking.
“A hike up the Appalachian Trail you will find is a dream many have in the back of their mind.
This story's about two adventurous twins who have researched and trained—so our story begins…”
Folly and Molly Take on the Appalachian Trail is a fictional rhyming book about two twins who take on a once in a lifetime adventure, a northbound thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail.
They go through the trials and tribulations that any backpacker/thru-hiker has encountered...quite literally the ups and downs! All while making new friends, taking part in hiker traditions, and experiencing the growth that can only come when stepping outside your comfort zone.